Three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus, control method of three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus, and control program of three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus

ABSTRACT

A three-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a graded composition is accurately shaped. A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus for shaping a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a graded composition by laminating a plurality of kinds of materials includes a material supplier that supplies the materials while executing a scan, an irradiator that irradiates the materials with a beam, and a controller that controls the material supplier. The controller controls the material supplier to supply, to a predetermined scanning area of a material scanning area, a necessary amount of a predetermined material for laminating one layer of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object at a predetermined number of times.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional laminating andshaping apparatus, a control method of the three-dimensional laminatingand shaping apparatus, and a control program of the three-dimensionallaminating and shaping apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

In the above technical field, patent literature 1 discloses a techniqueof supplying a plurality of kinds of materials while changing the supplyamounts of the materials.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-85547

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Technical Problem

In the technique described in the above literature, however, it isimpossible to accurately shape a three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject having a graded composition.

The present invention enables to provide a technique of solving theabove-described problem.

Solution to Problem

One aspect of the present invention provides a three-dimensionallaminating and shaping apparatus for shaping a three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object having a graded composition by laminating aplurality of kinds of materials, comprising:

-   -   a material supplier that supplies the materials while executing        a scan;    -   an irradiator that irradiates the materials with a beam; and    -   a controller that controls the material supplier,    -   wherein the controller controls the material supplier to supply,        to a predetermined scanning area of a material scanning area, a        necessary amount of a predetermined material for laminating one        layer of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object at a        predetermined number of times.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a control method of athree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus for shaping athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition by laminating a plurality of kinds of materials, theapparatus including

-   -   a material supplier that supplies the materials while executing        a scan,    -   an irradiator that irradiates the materials with a beam, and    -   a controller that controls the material supplier,    -   the method comprising:    -   causing the controller to control the material supplier to        supply, to a predetermined scanning area of a scanning area of        the material supplier, a necessary amount of a predetermined        material for laminating one layer of the three-dimensional        laminated and shaped object at a predetermined number of times.

Still other aspect of the present invention provides a control programof a three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus for shaping athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition by laminating a plurality of kinds of materials, theapparatus including

-   -   a material supplier that supplies the materials while executing        a scan,    -   an irradiator that irradiates the materials with a beam, and    -   a controller that controls the material supplier,    -   the program for causing a computer to execute a method,        comprising:    -   causing the controller to control the material supplier to        supply, to a predetermined scanning area of a scanning area of        the material supplier, a necessary amount of a predetermined        material for laminating one layer of the three-dimensional        laminated and shaped object at a predetermined number of times.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately shape athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view for schematically explaining the arrangement of athree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a schematic view for explaining an overview of shaping of athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object by the three-dimensionallaminating and shaping apparatus according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2B is a schematic view for explaining another overview of shapingof the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object by thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a method of adjusting the mixing ratioof materials by the three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatusaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an overview of shaping of athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object by a three-dimensionallaminating and shaping apparatus according to a technical premise of thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining an overview of a three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object shaped by a three-dimensional laminating andshaping apparatus according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6A is a view obtained by dividing a process of shaping athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object shaped by thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6B is a view for explaining an overview of the process of shapingthe three-dimensional laminated and shaped object shaped by thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described indetail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that therelative arrangement of the components, the numerical expressions andnumerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scopeof the present invention unless it is specifically stated otherwise.

First Embodiment

A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 100 according tothe first embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

<Technical Premise>

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an overview of shaping of athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object by a three-dimensionallaminating and shaping apparatus according to a technical premise of thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 100 according to thisembodiment. In FIG. 4, 410 shows a state of ideal shaping of athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition. In FIG. 4, 420 shows a state of actual shaping of athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition.

As shown in 410 of FIG. 4, in the three-dimensional laminating andshaping apparatus according to the technical premise, in the ideal case,a processing head, a nozzle, and the like can immediately respond to acontrol signal from a controller (not shown) to accurately start supplyof materials from a desired position. In the ideal case, therefore, itis possible to set the start position of the graded composition as adesired start position.

To the contrary, as shown in 420 of FIG. 4, in actual shaping, if acontrol signal to start to form a graded composition is transmitted tothe nozzle, the nozzle receives the control signal and starts to operatebut it takes time to convey the materials to the distal end of thenozzle. This shifts the start position of material supply from thedesired start position, thereby shifting the start position of thegraded composition. Consequently, although it is possible to shape athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition, it is only possible to shape a three-dimensional laminatedand shaped object having a graded composition for which the accuracy ofthe gradient start position is reduced.

That is, if the processing head (nozzle) is made to execute a scan whilesupplying (spraying) the materials from the nozzle, the material supplyposition is shifted by 250 mm by assuming, for example, that thescanning speed of the nozzle is 50 mm/sec and it takes 5 sec to supplythe materials to the distal end of the nozzle. That is, it takes timefor the materials to reach a processing surface. During this period, theprocessing head (nozzle) moves, thereby shifting the material supplyposition.

As described above, the three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus according to the technical premise generates a time lag fromwhen the nozzle receives the control signal until material supplyactually starts, and thus it is difficult to match the start position(start coordinates) of the material supply and material supply amounts(material mixing ratio). As a result, it is impossible to accuratelyshape a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition.

<Technique of Embodiment>

FIG. 1 is a view for schematically explaining the arrangement of thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 100 according to thisembodiment. Note that in FIG. 1, to avoid the view from becomingcomplicated, members other than those shown in FIG. 1 are notillustrated, as needed.

The three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 100 is anapparatus for shaping a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object120 on a shaping table 130 by melting and solidifying metal powders orthe like as materials of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped objectby irradiating the metal powders with a laser beam, and laminating themetal powders.

As shown in FIG. 1, the three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus 100 includes a light source 101, a lens barrel 102, a nozzle103, a controller 104, and a material storage 105. The light source 101generates a laser beam. The lens barrel 102 adjusts the path of thegenerated laser beam, thereby guiding the laser beam to the shapingtable 130. The nozzle 103 sprays a carrier gas 140 from the distal endof the nozzle 103 to supply the materials of the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object 120 onto the shaping table 130. The carriergas 140 is an inert gas such as argon gas, nitrogen gas, or helium gas,and is a gas for conveying the metal powders or the like as thematerials of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120 ontothe shaping table 130. The material storage 105 stores the materials ofthe three-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120, and supplies thematerials to the nozzle 103 via a material delivery tube 151 by forcefeed or the like.

The controller 104 is connected to the light source 101, lens barrel102, nozzle 103, and material storage 105. The controller 104 controlsthe light source 101 to adjust the output and the like of the laser beamor the like. Similarly, the controller 104 controls the lens barrel 102to adjust the optical axis, focusing state, and the like of the laserbeam or the like. Furthermore, the controller 104 controls the nozzle103 and material storage 105 to adjust the scanning speed of the nozzle103, the spray amount of the carrier gas 140 from the nozzle 103, andthe like, thereby adjusting the supply amounts of the materials.

A method of shaping the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object120 by the three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 100 willbe described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2A is a schematic view forexplaining an overview of shaping the three-dimensional laminated andshaped object 120 by the three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus 100 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 2A, 210 is aschematic plan view showing the three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject 120, and 220 is a schematic side view showing thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120. FIG. 2B is aschematic view for explaining another overview of shaping of thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120 by thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus 100 according to thisembodiment. In FIG. 2B, 230 is a schematic plan view showing thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120, and 240 is aschematic side view showing the three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject 120.

The three-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120 is a shaped objectshaped by laminating two kinds of materials. As shown in 210 of FIG. 2A,the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120 has a gradedcomposition in which the composition of the materials sequentiallychanges from left. As shown in 210 of FIG. 2A, a scanning area 201 ofthe three-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120 is divided intofive scanning areas 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 which are arranged fromleft in the order named. The scanning area 201 indicates, for example,an area which can be scanned by a material supplier such as the nozzle103 or a recoater.

In the scanning area 211, material A:material B is 100%:0%. In thescanning area 212, material A:material B is 75%:25%. In the scanningarea 213, material A:material B is 50%:50%. In the scanning area 214,material A:material B is 25%:75%. In the scanning area 215, materialA:material B is 0%:100%. By shaping the object in this way, thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120 has a gradedcomposition in which the mixing densities of materials A and B changefrom left in one layer without changing the supply amounts or supplyratio of the materials during shaping (scan).

Laminating of the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120 isperformed in the following procedure, as shown in 220 of FIG. 2A. In thefirst scan (laminating), material A is supplied from the scanning area211 to the scanning area 214, and material B is supplied to the scanningarea 215. In the second scan, material A is supplied from the scanningarea 211 to the scanning area 213, and material B is supplied from thescanning area 214 to the scanning area 215. In the third scan, materialA is supplied from the scanning area 211 to the scanning area 212, andmaterial B is supplied from the scanning area 213 to the scanning area215. In the fourth scan, material A is supplied to the scanning area211, and material B is supplied from the scanning area 212 to thescanning area 215.

By spreading the materials, in the scanning area 211, the density ofmaterial A is 100%. In the scanning area 212, the density of material Ais 75% and the density of material B is 25%. In the scanning area 213,the density of material A is 50% and the density of material B is 50%.In the scanning area 214, the density of material A is 25% and thedensity of material B is 75%. In the scanning area 215, the density ofmaterial B is 100%.

That is, the shaping method according to this embodiment adjusts thecomposition by the material supply count (the scan count of the nozzle103) without changing the supply amounts of the materials (materialscontained in the carrier gas 140) during the movement of the nozzle 103.By adopting the shaping method, it is possible to form a gradedcomposition (gradation) in which the mixing densities of materials A andB change such that the density of material A gradually decreases from100% in the scanning direction and the density of material B finallybecomes 100%. In the shaping method according to this embodiment, sincethe supply amounts of the materials are not changed during the operationof the nozzle 103, the shaping speed decreases but the position accuracyof formation of the graded composition significantly improves.

A case in which the scan necessary for shaping one layer is divided intofour to shape one layer has been explained. However, the division numberof one layer is not limited to four, and may be an arbitrary number.Note that the output of the laser or the like with which the materialsare irradiated is changed in accordance with the scan count necessaryfor shaping one layer. That is, as the scan count necessary for shapingone layer increases, the amounts of the materials supplied by each scandecrease, and thus the output of the laser is accordingly weakened. Tothe contrary, as the scan count necessary for shaping one layerdecreases, the supply amounts of the materials increase, and thus theoutput of the laser is strengthened.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the laminating order may be changed with respect tothe moving direction (Y direction). That is, a graded composition may beformed in the moving direction. Note that the above description assumesa method of forming a molten pool by irradiation with the laser beam orthe like and ejecting the materials to the molten pool, like the LMD(Laser Metal Deposition) method. However, the present invention isapplicable to a method of spreading a material on a shaping surfacefirst, and irradiating the spread material with a laser beam or thelike, like a powder bed method. An example in which a graded compositionis formed in one layer has been described above. For example, however,such laminating method is applicable to the case of a plurality oflayers.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a method of adjusting the mixing ratioof the materials by the three-dimensional laminating and shapingapparatus 100 according to this embodiment. For example, to shape alayer in which the mixing ratio of materials A and B is 80%:20%,material A is supplied at 1 g/min in the first to fourth scans, andmaterial B is supplied at 1 g/min in the fifth scan. By repeating thisprocess to shape the second layer and subsequent layers, a shaped objectwith the mixing ratio of materials A and B of 80%:20% can be shaped asthe three-dimensional laminated and shaped object 120. It is possible tochange the mixing ratio of materials A and B by adjusting the scancounts of the materials, thereby shaping the three-dimensional laminatedand shaped object 120 having the graded composition.

According to this embodiment, since the supply amounts or supplydensities of the materials are changed by the scan count of the nozzlewithout changing the supply amounts of the materials during theoperation of the nozzle, it is possible to accurately shape thethree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having the gradedcomposition.

Second Embodiment

A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 5 to 6B. FIG. 5 is a plan view for explaining anoverview of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object shaped bythe three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thisembodiment. In this embodiment as well, an example in which one layer isshaped by four scans will be described. Note that each number inparentheses in FIG. 4 represents a scan count.

A three-dimensional laminated and shaped object 301 is a shaped objectin which the density of material A increases (the density of material Bdecreases) from the central portion to the peripheral portion. In ascanning area 311, material A:material B is 25%:75%. In a scanning area312, material A:material B is 50%:50%. In a scanning area 313, materialA:material B is 75%:25%. In a scanning area 314, material A:material Bis 100%:0%.

FIG. 6A is a view obtained by dividing a process of shaping athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object shaped by thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thisembodiment. As shown in FIG. 6A, the three-dimensional laminating andshaping apparatus shapes each layer by causing a nozzle 103 to scan1/4th layer→(2-1)/4th layer→(2-2)/4th layer→(3-1)/4th layer→(3-2)/4thlayer→(4-1)/4th layer→(4-2)/4th layer in the order named.

FIG. 6B is a view for explaining an overview of the process of shapingthe three-dimensional laminated and shaped object shaped by thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to thisembodiment, and shows the mixing ratio of materials A and B aftershaping each layer obtained by dividing one layer into four. Forexample, material A:material B is 100%:0% after shaping the first layer,and is 50%:50% after shaping the second layer. After shaping the thirdlayer, material A:material B is 33%:66% in the scanning area 311overlapping the second layer, and is 66%:33% in the scanning area 312scanned in the (3-1)/4th layer. After shaping the fourth layer, materialA:material B is 50%:50% in the scanning area 312, and is 75%:25% in thescanning area 313 scanned in the (4-2)/4th layer.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to accurately shapethree-dimensional laminated and shaped objects having various gradedcompositions. It is also possible to accurately shape athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition without mixing unevenness of materials.

Other Embodiments

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

The present invention is applicable to a system including a plurality ofdevices or a single apparatus. The present invention is also applicableeven when an information processing program for implementing thefunctions of the embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatusdirectly or from a remote site. Hence, the present invention alsoincorporates the program installed in a computer to implement thefunctions of the present invention by the computer, a medium storing theprogram, and a WWW (World Wide Web) server that causes a user todownload the program. Especially, the present invention incorporates atleast a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program thatcauses a computer to execute processing steps included in theabove-described embodiments.

1. A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus for shaping athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition by laminating a plurality of kinds of materials, comprising:a material supplier that supplies the materials while executing a scan;an irradiator that irradiates the materials with a beam; and acontroller that controls said material supplier, wherein said controllercontrols said material supplier to supply, to a predetermined scanningarea of a material scanning area, a necessary amount of a predeterminedmaterial for laminating one layer of the three-dimensional laminated andshaped object at a predetermined number of times,
 2. Thethree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said irradiator adjusts a beam intensity based on thepredetermined number of times.
 3. The three-dimensional laminating andshaping apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the beam is a laserbeam.
 4. The three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatusaccording to any one of claims 1, wherein the materials are metalpowders.
 5. A control method of a three-dimensional laminating andshaping apparatus for shaping a three-dimensional laminated and shapedobject having a graded composition by laminating a plurality of kinds ofmaterials, the apparatus including a material supplier that supplies thematerials while executing a scan, an irradiator that irradiates thematerials with a beam, and a controller that controls the materialsupplier, the method comprising: causing the controller to control thematerial supplier to supply, to a predetermined scanning area of ascanning area of the material supplier, a necessary amount of apredetermined material for laminating one layer of the three-dimensionallaminated and shaped object at a predetermined number of times.
 6. Anon-transitory computer readable medium storing a control program of athree-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus for shaping athree-dimensional laminated and shaped object having a gradedcomposition by laminating a plurality of kinds of materials, theapparatus including a material supplier that supplies the materialswhile executing a scan, an irradiator that irradiates the materials witha beam, and a controller that controls the material supplier, theprogram for causing a computer to execute a method, comprising: causingthe controller to control the material supplier to supply, to apredetermined scanning area of a scanning area of the material supplier,a necessary amount of a predetermined material for laminating one layerof the three-dimensional laminated and shaped object at a predeterminednumber of times.